Improvement in car-couplings



UNITED \VILLIAM F. SENIOR, OF RIPLEY, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN CAR-$OUPLINGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 142,873, dated September 16, 1873; application filed June 21, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WVILLIAM F. SENIOR, of Ripley, in the county of Brown and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Oar-Coupling, of which the following is a specification:

Figure 1 is a top view of my improved car coupling. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 3 is ahorizontal section of the same taken through the line 00 00, Fig. 2.

Similar letters of reference indicate correspondin g parts.

My invention has for its object to furnish an improved car coupling, simple in construction, inexpensive in manufacture, reliable in operation, and convenient and safe in use, being readily coupled and uncoupled from the platform or top of the car. The invention consists in an improved car coupling, formed of the box, the pivoted arms, the springs, the block or cam, the crank, the coiled spring and its drum, constructed and arranged to operate, in connection with each other and the coupling-bar, as hereinafter fully described.

A is the box of the coupling, the mouth of which is made hopper-shaped in the ordinary manner. The cavity of the box A is enlarged laterally to give room for the operating parts of the coupling. B are two arms placed in the cavity of the box A. The forward ends of the arms B are rounded off, rest against concave shoulders formed in the forward parts of the sides of the box A, where they are securely pivoted to said box, the said shoulders projecting inward sufficiently to prevent the forward ends of the arms B from being struck by the entering coupling-bar O. D are metallic or rubber springs, placed between the rear ends of the arms B and the sides of the box A, and which are designed to hold' the rear ends of the said arms B pressed inward or toward each other, as shown in Fig. 3. The ends of the coupling-bar are rounded off, and have shoulders formed upon their sides, so as, when pushed in, to force the inner ends of the arms B apart.

As the shoulders of the end of the coupling-bar 0 pass the ends of the arms B the springs D force the arms B inward, so that the shoulders of the said coupling-bar may rest against the ends of the arms B, which thus sustains the draft.

In the inner part of the cavity of the box A is formed a concavity or recess, E, to receive the end of the coupling-bar O and center it, so that it may bear equally upon the ends 'of the arms B. Upon the upper sides of the inner ends of the arms B are formed projections b, which enter a recess in the top of the box A, and between which is placed a block or cam, F, so that the arms B may be forced apart to release the couplingbar 0 by turning the said block F. By this arrangement the block F is protected from being struck by the end of the entering coupling-bar. The block F is attached to the end of the crank Gr, which works in bearings in the top of the box A, .and the upper end of which passes up through a curved slot, H, in the platform of the car, so that the arms B may be forced apart to release the couplingbar 0 by turning the crank G. To the crank G, above the box A, is attached one end of a coiled spring, I, which is placed in, and its other end is secured to, a small drum, J, secured to the top of the box A, so that, when the crank G is released, the spring I may bring the block F parallel with the projections 11 of the arms B. K is a catch for holding the crank Gin place when turned to hold the arms B apart.

With this construction, when the cars are being run together, should the end of the coupling-bar 0 drop too low it may be raised and held in proper position by the attendant from the platform of the car by means of a rod having a hook formed upon its end, or from the top of the car, by using a longer rod.. The cars may thus be coupled without danger.

In the forward part of the top and bottom of the eoupling-boxAis formed a hole to receive an ordinary coupling-pin to enable a car provided with my improved coupling to be coupled with a car having the ordinary link-and-pin eouplin g. With this construction the cars can A'IEN'I OFFICE be readily uncoupled when under headway, oted arms B b, springs D, block F, crank G, and the coupling under draft strain, by which springI, and drum J, constructed and arra-n ged means great loss of life and property may freto operate, in connection and with the couplingquently be avoided. bar 0, substantially as shown and described.

Having thus described my invention, I WILLIAM F. SENIOR. claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Witnesses: Patent- GEo. K. MCCAGUS,

A car coupling, formed of the box A, piv- J. W. WooDs. 

